


That Deep Deep Love

by Asami_Sato



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: 3+1 Things, 5+1 Things, American Sign Language, Canon Disabled Character, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Huddling For Warmth, Magic, Post-Canon, Sleepy Cuddles, except it's 3+1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-03 17:29:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19468711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asami_Sato/pseuds/Asami_Sato
Summary: 3 times Janai warmed Amaya and 1 time Amaya warmed Janai.





	That Deep Deep Love

**Author's Note:**

> the outfits described in the ballroom scene were made by @sorgrcn on twitter! here's their art of their outfits https://twitter.com/sorgrcn/status/1128335952735363073

\-- 1 --

Months into their relationship, Janai and Amaya learned new things about each other everyday. Both were fascinated and interested in whatever the other did or liked, wanting to get to know the other as best as they could in the middle of their blooming relationship. 

The fact that they came from very different backgrounds made for many more things to learn about; such as human customs, different types of magic, magical weapons, and more. What Janai hadn’t mentioned, however, was the different ways in which elves’ physical forms were affected by their primal source; moonshadow elves had a naturally colder body temperature, and sunfire elves were the opposite. They radiated an alluring heat that kept them warmer than normal, and they were able to share this heat with others.

Summer turned into fall, and a frigid chill entered the air as the leaves began to fall. Amaya had just come back from a meeting at the castle when she decided to visit her girlfriend before going home. Wrapped in her scarf and light jacket, she tried to hide her smile behind the soft fabric as she thought of the sunfire elf. She felt her cheeks warm and she mentally rolled her eyes at herself. 

After months of visiting her quaint cottage in a Katolis, the general came to memorize how to get to Janai's home. Standing in front of the familiar brown door, she took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach. _You've been going out for months,_ She thought. _Quit acting like a teenager._

As she knocked on the door, she was greeted by the sight of Janai, who immediately brightened once she realized who it was. They greet each other with a quick kiss before the general steps into the small cottage, heart settling with a feeling she never grew tired of as she took in its sights and smells. She hung her jacket up and pulled her girlfriend in for a proper hug, feeling herself relax in the company of Janai’s comforting arms. 

The sunfire elf felt her heart rate increase as she held the brunette close, fingers curling into the material of her shirt. She enjoyed the closeness; the other woman’s protective and caring yet fiery demeanor always brought her joy. Although her day had been generally average, Janai felt a weight fall off her shoulders as she held her girlfriend. 

A few seconds passed; longer than a normal hug would have lasted, yet Amaya remained curled into the other woman’s arms, nestling her face into the crook of her neck. As much as Janai liked her and enjoyed her company, she was beginning to wonder if the general had had a bad day or something, causing her to seek reassurance. 

She pulled away from Amaya, frowning when she noticed her pout as they separated. “Amaya,” she began. “Are you ok?”

The general looked at her questioningly before the realization hit her as she snorted, smiling gleefully. “I’m fine.” she reassured. “It’s just...you’re really warm.”

Janai looked at her questioningly. “Uh...yeah. I’m a sunfire elf.” she teased.

Amaya returned the fervor. “I didn’t know that changed your temperature!” she countered, only realizing how foolish that sounded after she’d said it. The sunfire elf raised her eyebrow playfully, chuckling devilishly at the other woman. The general rolled her eyes, feigning offense. Suddenly, Janai realized something.

“Wait, we’ve hugged before.” she began. “How did you just notice that my body temperature is warmer than normal?”

The brunette hesitated, her cheeks blooming a rosy red, eyes darting from Janai’s to the floor. “I always just assumed it was me being...flustered.” she admitted.

The sunfire elf’s demeanor changed from mischievous to affectionate, a smile growing on her face at her girlfriend’s sweetness. “You’re too much, Maya.” she quipped.

Amaya hid her face in her shoulder as Janai grasped her hand, leading her over to the couch. Wrapping her arms around her, Janai pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, as they spend the rest of their day by each other’s side.

\-- 2 --

Katolis sat deep in a snowstorm, as snow whipped against windows and roofs of the small cottages that lined the outskirts of the castle. The temperature had dipped below zero, frost lining windows and the roads, causing pedestrians and carriage horses to tread carefully. Janai watched the flurries with concern. Her girlfriend, Amaya, was still out on patrol at the border. Peace between elves and humans was achieved months ago, but she still watched it in case of any rebels or protestors. 

Janai turned her head at the sound of the cottage door opening, her heart dropping at the sight of what was behind it. Amaya walked in shivering, curled in on herself as she desperately tried to preserve any smidgen of heat she could. Although the general was wearing her coat, it didn’t do much to protect her from the frigid winds that bellowed and blew against her form. Snowflakes were littered against her dark brown hair, and if her girlfriend weren’t freezing half to death, Janai would appreciate how cute she looked with the small white flakes scattered amongst her hair. The knight quickly joined her side.

“You’re freezing!” she started, stating the obvious. Amaya’s trembling hands fumbled at her coat. “Here, I can get that.” her hands gently covered her own as she took the coat, hanging it up before turning back to her. The sunfire elf’s heart dropped as she quickly realized that there was no way Amaya could sign to her while she was trembling. Taking the general’s hand once more, she led her to the couch. 

As they laid down, Janai enveloped Amaya in a hug, hoping to warm her up. The brunette burrowed in to her warm body gratefully, still shivering as the sunfire elf ran her hands up and down her back and arms, spreading a comforting heat across her skin. Even though shivers and an intense cold still racked her body, she found peace in the other woman’s arms, knowing that she didn’t have to face the awful snowstorm anymore, instead, she could spend the rest of her day by her girlfriend’s side.

Suddenly, the golden markings on her skin began to glow softly, golden flecks rising into the air as a deeper heat rose through her skin. Amaya gasped as the heat seemed to grow more healing and soothing; her shivers quickly subsiding. She sat peacefully, mesmerized by the alluring warmth before momentarily snapping out of it.

Her eyes met Janai’s. Janai smiled as the shivering, miserable look in her eyes was replaced with utter peace and bliss. 

“Thank you.” she signed, grateful to be able to use her hands properly again. 

The sunfire elf returned the sentiment; cradling her face before she got an idea. “I could make you some tea.” she offered, knowing the warm drink might help soothe her troubles.

Before she could get up to leave, Amaya tightened her arms around her, desperately clinging to her heat even though she wasn’t shivering anymore. Janai laughed before wrapping her arms around her once more. Her markings began to glow once more as she rested her cheek against her girlfriend’s head, delighting in the closeness. 

Once she was sure the sunfire elf wasn’t going to leave her, Amaya opened her eyes, raising her head to look at Janai again.

“Can I...touch them?” she asked, motioning towards her girlfriend’s glowing markings, hoping she didn’t sound weird. The sunfire elf nodded, smiling as she raised one of her arms for the other woman to observe. Amaya delicately traced the radiant patterns. They were warm to the touch, but not too hot that she had to tread carefully. She thought back to the first time she witnessed Janai’s other sunfire form, her heat-being mode, which made her a walking volcano, lava seeping out of her skin. It had terrified her the first time she saw it, especially because they were enemies at the time. 

Janai’s heart beat faster in her chest as Amaya continued to gently caress her sunfire markings, the general watching with wonder as the shimmers and golden specks danced under her fingertips. 

“They’re beautiful.” she commented, bringing her hand to gently hold her face, thumbs still grazing her facial markings. The sunfire elf leaned into her touch, her eyes fluttering shut as she placed her hand over her own. 

“Thank you.” Janai replied. Years ago she wouldn’t have cared about what any human had to say about her appearance or her sunfire abilities, but things were different now. The knight didn’t care what most people thought, but she held a lot less resentment towards humans. Now, she could admit that hearing how much a human, especially Amaya, liked her markings and sunfire abilities warmed her heart and made her happy. 

The general kissed her cheek, laughing as she felt the shimmers dancing even as she kissed her. As she pulled back, Janai leaned her forehead against hers, her fingers gently skimming her now warm skin. Amaya looked deep into her eyes, relishing in the beauty of her now amber eyes, which were thanks to her light being form; unique from her usually dark brown eyes. The fire in her golden flecked eyes made something in the brunette’s stomach flip, as she felt her intense love wash over her.

“I love you. My shield, my rock.” Janai whispered. 

Amaya playfully bumped her nose with hers. “I should be the one telling you I love you.” she teased. “Thank you for keeping me warm. I love you, sunrise.” 

The general leaned forward and kissed Janai softly. Her girlfriend immediately kissed her back, hands gently clutching at her shoulders. As they pulled away, Amaya got a mischievous look in her eye. Janai eyed her playfully as she leaned forward once again. Amaya began pressing kisses all over Janai’s face, causing her to erupt into a fit of laughter. 

Finally satisfied with herself, she returned to her previous position, where she rested comfortably in her girlfriend’s arms. Her heart swelled at the sight of Janai’s bright expression as she came down from her high before their eyes met once again. As they laid together, Janai eventually ceased her lightbeing form, returning to normal, as the other woman was no longer shivering and freezing. She traced the delicate skin of Amaya’s face, fingertips gently skimming over the scar on her cheekbone before they both fell asleep.

\-- 3 --

The exciting activity from the ball began to die down as the night went on, everyone’s legs growing tired from all the dancing. After the unity of elves and humans, the high council of Katolis had come up with the ides of hosting a large ball every year to commemorate and celebrate the new era of peace. Backgrounds of all sorts were recognized and celebrated, hints of each type of elf heritage lining the decor and draping the walls, as the different human kingdoms’ colours were interwoven so as to create a beautiful result. Sunfire elves, Neolandians, moonshadow elves, Katolians, and every other type of human and elf there were was invited to the grand ball, and soon the castle was filled with folks from every corner of the world. The energy was electric but welcoming, as everyone shared the same relief as they’d grown accustomed to each other’s differences and had put the past behind them. 

The royal family of Katolis was there too, of course. King Ezran was most delighted at the happy faces that occupied his grand castle, proud of the work he’d accomplished as king with the help of the leaders of elven nations and the other human kingdoms. He thought of his father’s letter to his brother Callum with a smile, knowing that this perfect picture of peace was exactly what his father and mother would have wanted. At times, it seemed very unattainable and unlikely that this could ever happen. But he’s glad he and the other leaders had persevered through it all; if they hadn’t, they couldn’t have achieved what they all, even if secretly for some, wanted.

Amaya and Janai were in attendance too, of course, both of them enthralled by the gorgeous setup and decorations around the castle. The two women were matching, the gold of Amaya’s tie the same shade as the gold speckled across her wife’s crop top and skirt. The knight’s burgundy skirt skimmed the floor as she moved elegantly among the castle floor, resembling a sunfire princess. Her large, golden crown that showcased her knightly status glinted under the fire that brightened the rooms. A far cry from the armour that had almost become like a second skin to her when she was a general, Amaya looked sleek in her midnight black suit. 

Although the happenings of the ball proved to be a great spectacle, the two women seemed to only notice each other, eyes glimmering with adoration as they took in the other’s elegance and beauty. They danced in a perfect unity, never missing a beat. 

Janai watched fondly whenever her wife left briefly to dance with her nephews, the general’s smile reaching her eyes as she held them close, so utterly joyful. The king and his advisor pretended to be embarrassed before quickly giving in, a warm expression breaking through. Janai’s hand covers her heart as Callum signs to his aunt about how happy her sister would be in this moment. Surprise flashes across Amaya’s face before she smiles tearfully, nodding in agreement. 

They stay by each other’s side until Rayla returns to the pair, smiling warmly at her boyfriend and his aunt. Her face dropped in surprise as she takes in the sight of Amaya, gushing to her about how stunning she looks, with Callum interpreting. The general beamed at the compliment, returning it by telling the moonshadow elf how beautiful her outfit filled with moonshadow and sunfire detailing was. Ever since her nephew and the moonshadow elf had grown closer and peace had arisen between humans and elves, Amaya had learned to overcome her prejudice and hatred towards elves. She grew to respect the younger girl and her skills; her aptitude and strength had only grown since they had last met. A little friendly competition put Amaya in the dirt as Rayla smirked proudly, teasing her about how the tables had turned. 

Callum visibly brightened in the moonshadow elf’s presence, and with a quick kiss to her nephew’s forehead the general decided to leave the two as they enjoyed the rest of the evening. She returned to find her wife in the company of her older sister, who immediately hugged her as they caught up on life.

\---

The two women were ready to return to their cottage just outside the castle grounds when King Ezran reassured them that there was a room ready for the both of them if they’d like. They thank him endlessly, the both of them kissing his forehead before descending down to castle hallway to their room. They link hands playfully as Amaya points out different treasures among the walls from almost two decades ago, and the different memories they hold. They finally reach the stairs and Janai sighed dramatically, the exhaustion from the long night causing the trip to seem impossible.

Amaya laughed. “Come on, I’ll carry you.” she offered.

The sunfire elf clutched her heart dramatically. “My hero.” Her wife giggled again before picking her up easily, carrying her bridal style. Janai pressed a grateful kiss to her cheek before they ascended up the long staircase.

“My hero! So strong and brave! Carrying me up this long staircase after such a long night!” she began, her fatigue making her sillier. The brunette rolled her eyes playfully, secretly enjoying this.

“What strong arms! Oh the strength! I am but a flustered lesbian! Tell me, brave warrior, what is your name?” she questioned as they reached the top of the staircase. As she finished her sentence, Janai cupped Amaya's jaw, turning her face so their eyes met. Amaya's warm brown eyes met Janai's comically wide eyes, smiling smugly before leaning in. The sunfire elf met her halfway, smiling into the kiss before bursting into a fit of giggles, satisfied with her dramatic performance. 

"I am slain!" she cried as her wife lowered her to the ground.

The brunette shook her head, expression exasperated yet fond. "You're too much." 

Amaya arrived at the door to their room, deciding to join in on Janai's act by bowing dramatically as she held the door open for her wife. Pride filled her as her wife blushed and giggled, eyes alit with mischief as she declared success. 

They both undressed in silence, grabbing the spare pajamas Ezran had left for them to use. They're burgundy lined with gold detailing, the uneven towers of Katolis embroidered on the chest pocket. Amaya eyed Janai playfully as she took in the sight of her wife in the Katolis gear, suddenly feeling a new sense of affection wash over her. The sunfire elf crawled into bed before noticing Amaya's ogling, and hid her blush behind the blanket she was now holding. The brunette joined her on the cozy bed, wrapping her arms around her waist as she kissed her temple before settling into the sheets. Janai joined her, sighing as she felt herself relax, her fatigue making itself known once again. 

She was half asleep when she suddenly heard the sound of teeth chattering. Janai opened her eyes and was met with the sight of Amaya shivering, clutching the blankets around herself in an attempt to keep herself warm, eyebrows knitted together as she tried her best to will herself to sleep. Janai frowned, lightly tapping the other woman's shoulder to get her attention. Amaya met her gaze, eyes tired yet frustrated. 

"You're shivering." 

Amaya nodded. "The castle is just as cold as I remember."

The sunfire elf opened her arms, motioning for Amaya to come closer. The retired general took her up on her offer, burrowing in closer to her and sighing as the warmth of her sunfire form eventually soothed her shivers. Janai ran a warm hand up and down her back, hoping it would lessen the effects of the frigid castle. 

Her shivers subsided after a few minutes, but Amaya remained close, enjoying the comforting and healing heat Janai's sunfire form radiated. 

The sunfire elf finally spoke up. "Feeling better?" she asked. 

Amaya nodded. She kissed her collarbone gratefully, lips skimming the skin of her neck until she reached her jaw, where she placed one last kiss. She felt Janai chuckle and looked up to see her smiling mischievously. 

"You're welcome." she stated dryly, causing both of them to laugh. "How did you used to keep warm?"

Amaya removed her hands from Janai's sides so that she could respond. “I stole blankets and sheets so I could make my own personal cocoon.”

The sunfire elf gaped in surprise. “Maya! You can’t just steal royal blankets! What about the staff?”

The general snickered. “Hey, my sister was the queen. If she had an issue with it, she would let me know.” 

Janai shrugged, she was right. Still, she couldn’t believe her wife was a thief. “What would the people of Katolis say if they knew their brave, fierce general who protected the border for years was a thief all along?” she teased.

Amaya smirked. “I deserve it.”

Before she could counter her bold statement, her wife wrapped her arms around her, nestling her face in the space between her shoulder and her head. Despite herself, she dropped the playful teasing and decided to allow herself to sleep again. Knowing she’d won, Amaya met her gaze, a playful glint in her eyes before she leaned up to kiss her. 

“Goodnight, sunfire.”

Janai kissed her back. “Goodnight, darling.”

She settled back into her previous position, comfortably nestled in her wife’s warm, loving arms. They both fell asleep soon after, worn out from the long yet extravagantly fun night the ball provided.

\-- 1 --

A day that was popular amongst the sunfire elves, one they all knew well, had come: the winter solstice. The winter solstice was the day of the year in which the sun was at its farthest point from the earth, as earth tilted away from the bright energy source that sustained life and fueled sunfire elves. The day was short and ended with a long night; the moon hanging in the sky for an extended period of time, much to the delight of moonshadow elves everywhere. 

Amaya came home as the sun was beginning to set in the sky, reminding her of the fact that the fall was quickly turning into the winter. She had just gotten back from a day filled with her usual general duties, such as training guards and knights who were to protect her nephews at the castle. She enjoyed the company of capable and worthy soldiers and, of course, her trusted interpreter and close friend, Gren. Thankfully, her recent group of recruits made her job easy; the majority of them meeting each new task and challenge with eagerness and competence. They reminded her of herself when she was just starting out, exuberance and pure determination being some of the many skills needed to make it as a warrior.

Janai’s day was quite similar, as knight of the Lux Aurea, she continued to contribute her stellar abilities to other up and coming knights, and often helped sunfire crafters as they created weapons special to the primal source. Although her crafting skills weren’t the best, the sunfire elf helped out in any way she could. 

Despite the fact that she’d encountered many before, the day of the winter solstice proved to take a toll on the knight; sapping her energy and making it harder to focus on the number of tasks the day offered. Her and her close friend Tinker, who was also a sunfire elf, both laughed at each other’s deliriousness and slower than normal movements as they tried their best to complete all the weapons on the craftsman’s agenda. 

After what feels like an eternity, the two sunfire elves bid each other farewell as they go home to their respective spouses, chuckling over the fact that their loved ones will each have a delirious elf to take care of. Janai can feel the effects of the setting sun begin to inhibit her body as she walks down the familiar roads that lead her home. 

As her wife entered their home, Amaya immediately noticed the fatigue behind her eyes; evident in the way the reddish brown tone, usually alert, was now dull. They embraced before the brunette pulled away, curious to know what might have affected the other woman’s mood.

“Sunbeam, is something wrong? You seem tired.” she began, frowning.

Janai smiled. “It’s the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in a while. The sun is far away; it affects all the sunfire elves.”

“Oh.” Amaya replied, thinking. The sunfire elf shivered, the absence of heat from her various workplaces of the day making itself known as she stood in the cold home. “Here, you should lay down, I’ll get you some blankets.” She briefly left the room to grab some of the warm blankets they kept stored, mostly for Amaya, as she was susceptible to growing cold during the night. 

She re-entered the room, striding over to where her wife laid, gently placing the quilts over her. Janai pressed a small kiss to her forehead as the general leaned over, the sunfire elf giggling as she blushed. Turning around to leave her wife to nap, not wanting to disturb her as she recovered from having scarce energy, Janai quickly put a hand on her side, fingers curling into the dip of her waist. Amaya paused, turning around to meet her gaze.

The knight softened, her brown eyes now a little more alive than before. “You should stay.” 

The general’s eyebrows raised in surprise, her grin growing as she joined her as she lifted the blanket, pressing into the sunfire elf’s side. 

Janai sighed as she rested her head on her wife’s chest, eyes fluttering closed as she listened to the soothing sound of her heartbeat. Amaya shifted so that her arms were around the knight’s sides, delighting in the comforting, familiar weight, bringing a certain feeling of easiness to her. They tell each other about their days, both of them inquiring about certain recruits the other found interesting; Amaya taking note of certain potential sunfire knights Janai told her about that stood out to her, and Janai remembering the names of most of the general’s students. 

They sat in silence after the conversation died down, minutes passing before Amaya tried to get the other woman’s attention again. Janai hadn’t moved in a few minutes, leading her to assume she’d fallen asleep. Janai turned to her with an unusual smile on her face, proving to the general that she hadn’t been sleeping after all. Amaya looked at her questioningly as the sunfire elf rested her chin on her shoulder, her nose brushing her cheek. 

“What are you doing?” she asked.

She could see Janai’s smile grow as she watched her eyes, as a spark seemed to flicker in the brown embers of her irises.

“You’re really cute.” She signed before pressing her lips against Amaya’s neck, kissing the soft skin innocently. She felt as a small gasp escaped the general, causing her to smile even more as she playfully kissed her jaw. Heat rose in Amaya’s cheeks as she tried to think of what to say, too flustered to think. Even after almost two years of marriage, the sunfire elf still managed to put her at a loss for words (in the best way).

Janai entangled her hand in the other’s soft brown hair, prompting Amaya to swiftly escape her grip, knowing that if she didn’t right now, it would only make it harder to when things escalated. 

“Sunfire, what’s gotten into you?” she asked, half teasingly; Janai didn’t miss the small quirk of her lips and her flushed cheeks. _All because of her,_ she thought, satisfied. 

The knight sighed. “Tired. Loopy. You do the math.”

“Then maybe you should get some rest.” she suggested, narrowing her eyebrows.

Janai smiled devilishly, closing in on the general again, looking up at her from the crevice of her collarbone. “I could,” she began, eyes laden with mischief. “Or, I couldn’t, and I could just tease you and see just how red you can get.”

Surprise flashed across Amaya’s face as she felt her face heat up even more. _That’s not helping me at all,_ she thought, frustrated. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. 

"We both know you're the more easily flustered one out of the both of us." she countered.

The sunfire elf's eyes widened in shock, and Amaya knew she'd triggered her competitive side. "That's not true. You're always the first one to blush when I'm near you." 

Amaya persisted. "Maybe that's just because you're warm, it has nothing to do with my possible feelings about you."

"That's not what you said last-" The sunfire elf bursted into laughter before she could finish, leaving Amaya pleasantly satisfied. She watched her wife as she endured a fit of giggles, pleased with herself. Bantering with her favourite person never grew old, their almost immediate quips and clever remarks never failed to get a rise out of the other. They always ended peacefully though, they were always out of love and silliness. 

Amaya watched happily as Janai’s face brightened with joy; her eyes crinkling, smile wide with delight as she threw her head back in a fit of laughter. The general knew she no doubt looked too lovestruck than anyone ever should, but she didn’t care. Janai could tease her all she wanted; she was still the most beautiful person she’d ever had the privilege of knowing. 

The sunfire elf’s laughter died down after a few minutes, sighing contentedly as she resumed her previous position. She clutched onto her wife as she tried to steal as much warmth as she could. Amaya smiled as she leaned her cheek against her hair, pressing a small kiss to her braids before wrapping her arms around her, holding her close.

“Hey”, Amaya prompted, gently shaking the sleepy sunfire elf. “Wanna head to bed?”

Janai considered her offer for a second before shaking her head. “No,” she replied, nestling her face into the general’s shoulder. “I just want to stay here.”

Amaya felt her heart swell as she pulled the blankets over them once more before settling back as she was before, sharing as much warmth as she could. They fall asleep soon after, pleasantly comfortable in their small blanket nest.  



End file.
